Recipe courtesy of Charles "Chaz" A Smith II
Grilled Tandoori-Style Lamb Skewers
- Level: Easy
- Total: 1 hr 35 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Inactive: 1 hr
- Cook: 20 min
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
Seeds from 3 cardamom pods (1/2 teaspoon ground in mortar and pestle)
1 teaspoon onion powder
3 tablespoons bottled minced garlic or 8 cloves minced
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
3 tablespoons Indian curry powder
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves, plus leaves for garnish
2 teaspoons kosher salt or Hawaiian sea salt
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1 pound boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 to 5 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
Basmati rice with cilantro (or orzo with spinach and butter), for serving
Lime wedges and a side of raita (yogurt sauce with vegetables), for serving
Directions
Special equipment:
4 wooden skewers (soaked for 2 hours in water) or 4 metal skewers- Heat the cumin, garam masala and cardamom in a dry pan, over low heat, until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onion powder and garlic then transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the yogurt, paprika, curry powder, cilantro, salt and pepper.
- Thread 4 cubes of lamb on each skewer, alternating with scallion pieces and leaving about 1/3 of the skewer as a handle. Arrange them in a shallow glass baking dish and pour the yogurt mixture over them, (turn to coat if needed). Allow to marinate for 1 hour to overnight, in the refrigerator. Brush the grill with an oiled paper towel and preheat it to medium-high. Arrange the skewers at angle for nice grill marks and grill 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium. Transfer the skewers to a serving platter and garnish with lime wedges and cilantro.
- Serve with basmati rice with cilantro or orzo with spinach and butter and a side of raita (yogurt sauce with vegetables), if desired.
